ATL

Scotland

ATL Scotland's national official gives his views on the value of mentors in bringing new teachers through

A key feature within the Teacher Induction Scheme in Scotland is the relationship between the mentor and the probationer teacher. In 2007 the General Teaching Council for Scotland launched Guidance for probation supporters (available from www.gtcs.org.uk), with the aim of developing "greater consistency in the areas of supporter selection, training and support, as well as developing a consistency in the way that probationers are supported". I would encourage members to read this document, together with our own publication Induction: making it work for you (available from www.atl.org.uk/publications under 'student and NQ publications') to understand the expectations of that relationship.

Contained within the supporter/probationer relationship is the potential for sharing knowledge and understanding of current practice, as well as developing one's own practice. It is this dialogue and the reflection on practice that makes being a probationer supporter an excellent continuing professional development (CPD) opportunity. In fact, ATL argues that teachers have a professional obligation to offer support to probationers as part of the responsibility for continual development of the profession.

I appreciate that not all members have the professional opportunity or the personal capacity to become a probation supporter. I would suggest, however, that all members do have the professional capacity to engage probationers in dialogue that promotes the debating and sharing of knowledge, current theories and reflection on practice. I sincerely hope that our CPD seminars will contribute to this concept.